Readers React: Trump’s veto of the Yemen war resolution is a shocking rebuke of Congress

To the editor: Congress is rolling over. It is abnegating its role to check the executive branch of the government and assert its role in approving the deployment and funding of American troops in overseas conflicts. (“Trump vetoes measure to end U.S. involvement in Yemen war,” April 16)

When the president claims that the vote to end American involvement in Yemen is a constitutional threat to his position, he is misrepresenting his role as commander in chief. He is acting solely to the benefit of corporate interests that will, as they always have, become wealthier from the business of war.

For Congress to pass resolutions against the Yemeni incursion and against the financial support of Saudi Arabia’s military actions, and for it to fail to obtain the votes necessary to overturn Trump’s veto, it admits that the body has no power or ability to balance and enforce the roles of each branch of government.

That is inexcusable. It undermines the basic foundation of the nation.

Peter Altschuler, Santa Monica

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To the editor: In the April 17 print edition of the Los Angeles Times, there was the headline of Page 5A, “A divided Congress getting little done.” Further inside the paper, on Page 8A, we read that Congress passed a bill to end U.S. involvement in Yemen’s civil war, and Trump vetoed it.

That should have been front-page news.

Congress, in a rare display of bipartisanship, passed a bill to end our involvement in a war. This is the first time both the House and the Senate passed a war powers resolution. In response, Trump issued a veto for only the second time of his presidency.

This is a big deal that deserved more attention.

Bruce Wessel, Santa Monica

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